Gooch retains his belief in the shot but preaches caution

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WHEN to sweep and when not to sweep. That is the question. No one is better qualified to answer it than Graham Gooch, one of the wiliest and most capable practitioners of the shot in Test-match history. Spinners around the world will attest to that.

While emphasising that it is difficult to generalise about use of the stroke and that he did not wish to criticise England’s batsmen from afar, Gooch suggested some basic ground rules. “As a rule of thumb,” he said, “if the pitch is a flattish one, then I would not sweep so often. If the ball